


Blood Bound

by nightshade002



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Blood, Blood Drinking, Blood and Injury, Established Relationship, M/M, Mind Control, Psychological Torture, Temporary Character Death, Vampires, obligatory title with the word blood in it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-01
Updated: 2017-11-30
Packaged: 2019-01-27 17:20:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12586852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nightshade002/pseuds/nightshade002
Summary: Oikawa knew it was dangerous from the beginning. For both of them. He knew that the consequences would be severe if anyone found out, but he fell in love with Iwaizumi anyway.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is based on [this art](http://kittlekrattle.tumblr.com/post/165601987341/a-vampires-curse) by kittlekrattle
> 
> (there's still technically 3 hours left of halloween in my time zone so i'm good for posting this on halloween)

“Oikawa? I’m home,” Iwaizumi called as he closed the door. The silence was strange, usually Oikawa would greet him right at the door when he got home. “Tooru?” He set his bag down and walked through their small house. The door to their bedroom was closed, but when he tried to open it, it wouldn’t budge. “Tooru, are you in there?”

“I-Iwa-chan, please,” he could hear Oikawa gasp from the other side of the door. He sounded like he was in pain. “Please go… go away.”

“Tooru, open the door. What’s wrong?” Iwaizumi asked, pushing harder at the door. He heard a quiet whimper from Oikawa.

“I can’t… say. Just please, trust me,” Oikawa gasped. “You need to go. Go to Makki’s or Mattsun’s or wherever, but you - _ah_ \- can’t stay here.”

Iwaizumi tried once more to shove the door open, but it still wouldn’t budge. “You’re in pain and you expect me to leave you on your own?”

“ _Yes_ , Hajime,” Oikawa hissed. “I can’t… can’t control myself anymore.”

“Wha-” Iwaizumi was cut off when the door opened and he was slammed into the floor in an instant, Oikawa on top of him holding down his wrists. Iwaizumi tried to move one hand and Oikawa’s grip tightened so much it hurt. He looked up at Oikawa’s face to find bright red eyes instead of the usual brown.

“I’m sorry,” he said, and Iwaizumi could see the genuine regret in his expression, along with carefully covered up fear.

“What are you-”

“I’m a vampire,” Oikawa confessed, changing his grip so he was holding Iwaizumi down with only one hand, the other moving to stroke along Iwaizumi’s neck. He closed his eyes and exhaled in frustration. “I forgot to feed yesterday, and you just _had_ to stay here after I told you to go. It's hard enough normally to control myself around you, but now I'm just so _hungry_ there's no way I can. Besides,” he purred, sliding the hand on Iwaizumi's neck up so he pushed his chin up and ran his lips along his neck, “I've always wondered how you would taste.”

“Oikawa-” Iwaizumi tried to talk, but Oikawa’s hand slid even further up to cover his mouth. Oikawa stopped. Shivered. For a second his eyes went back to brown and he pulled his hand away again. The one pinning his wrists stayed.

“I'm sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Oikawa said, over and over. He was still shaking. The strain from holding back was obvious.

“Will it hurt?”

Oikawa stared at him for a few seconds and then shook his head. “No, I think it actually feels good. I don't really know what could happen, but if I'm not in control I might… I might drain you. And I'm not, uh, the most… pleasant when I'm feeding.”

“You're not the most pleasant anyway.”

“Iwa-chan, I'm serious,” he whined. “Sometimes I say things and I don't mean to and I get a little controlling.”

“Well, I trust you, so,” Iwaizumi tilted his head, exposing his neck, “do what you need to.”

“Oh, Iwa-chan,” Oikawa murmured, voice going back to the purr and eyes switching back to red, “you have no idea what you're agreeing to.” Oikawa grabbed his jaw and roughly turned his head. “You have no idea how long I've waited for this.”

“If you're going to do it, just do it,” Iwaizumi ground out.

Oikawa hummed noncommittally. “But the longer I stay right here, the more _afraid_ you get. And the more afraid you are, the better you _smell_.”

Iwaizumi felt his pulse spike at that. He knew he was a little afraid, but that was normal and he hadn't realized that Oikawa could smell it. 

“Oikawa, just-” He gasped when he felt Oikawa’s sharp teeth press against his neck.

“See, now why would I go fast and miss _all_ of your wonderful reactions?” he murmured against Iwaizumi's neck. “Mm I am hungry though. Maybe I'll leave the teasing for later.”

Iwaizumi gasped again when Oikawa bit into his neck. His entire body tensed for only a second before relaxing again. It didn't hurt much. Aside from the original pain when he bit in, it felt kind of… nice. Weird, for sure, but nice too. The hand on his jaw didn't move, but the one holding his hands down finally let up and slipped under his shoulder, pulling him closer to Oikawa. His own hands moved on their own to pull Oikawa closer to him.

“Oikawa,” he tried to say, and the name just barely made it out of his mouth coherently, syllables slurring together. “Kawa, y’need t’stop.” Both of the hands on him tightened even more. He was starting to get dizzy. “Please.”

He shivered and exhaled in relief when Oikawa lifted off his neck just enough to start lapping at the wounds.

“You don't really think I'm done with you, do you?”

Iwaizumi tensed up. One of his hands moved to Oikawa’s hair in an attempt to pull him off, but he didn't have the strength to do much more than grab his hair.

“Oik- I can't take it,” he gasped out.

“You can,” Oikawa replied simply, latching onto his neck again. Iwaizumi started to pull away and try to keep a clear head, but all that achieved was Oikawa tightening his grip again. He pulled off and Iwaizumi thought it might be over until- “Don't make me tie you up.”

He wasn't sure which would be worse at this point, but he wanted to feel like he was at least a little in control of the situation. Oikawa ran his fingers through Iwaizumi's hair, humming in approval. It felt like Oikawa was petting him, not that he minded usually, but this was unsettling. What was worse was when Oikawa lifted up so his face was right above Iwaizumi's. His smile sent shivers down his spine. There was blood, _his_ blood, covering Oikawa's lips and teeth and his eyes were the exact same shade of dark red.

“You look so pretty like this,” Oikawa said, licking his lips, “You're so helpless and vulnerable. I could kill you and you wouldn't be able to do anything.”

Iwaizumi's eyes widened. “You wouldn't, though,” he said confidently, feeling slightly more coherent now that Oikawa wasn't actually sucking his blood out.

“How do you know?” Oikawa challenged. He slid his hand up to Iwaizumi's neck again and rested his hand against it, not pressing down, but _present_ enough so that he couldn't help but notice. “I've done it before. It's not so hard. All it takes is a little bit too much blood loss or a bit too much pressure here,” he said, squeezing down for just a second before letting up.

“You wouldn't do it. Not to me,” Iwaizumi said confidently. The fear had mostly worn off by now, replaced mostly by trust. He knew Oikawa wouldn't kill him. If he really wanted to, Iwaizumi would have been dead already.

“Mm, I suppose you're right. I'd never try to. I love you too much for that.” Oikawa leaned down and kissed Iwaizumi. He gagged at the sudden taste of blood filling his mouth when Oikawa pushed his tongue in. He pulled away far too soon for Iwaizumi's taste.

“Don't think I can take much more,” Iwaizumi murmured when he felt Oikawa's tongue back at his neck.

“Relax, Hajime, I'm just cleaning up my mess,” Oikawa replied, lapping at the blood on his neck. His voice sounded back to normal, so Iwaizumi let himself relax until Oikawa was done. “I know you're tired, but I need you to stay awake for me, okay?”

He nodded, doing his best to stay awake. Oikawa climbed off of him and Iwaizumi whined as soon as he was out of his sight. Oikawa was back at his side in an instant, cradling his face in his hand. 

“Shh, I'm not leaving you. You need water and food.”

Iwaizumi bit his lip. “But…”

“I'll be back in just a few minutes, okay?”

“Okay,” Iwaizumi said reluctantly. 

“I'll be quick,” Oikawa said, pressing a quick kiss to Iwaizumi's forehead. “Promise. Do you want to sit up?”

Iwaizumi nodded and Oikawa helped him sit up against the wall. He was slightly more okay with Oikawa leaving this time. Enough that he didn't need him back as soon as he was out of the room. True to his word, Oikawa was back in only a few minutes with a glass of water and a bowl full of food. He knelt down next to Iwaizumi and held the water up for him to drink. Once the water and food were gone, Oikawa set the bowl and glass aside. 

“So that… just happened,” Iwaizumi started.

Oikawa nodded. “I'm sorry. I meant to tell you at some point I just… didn't know when. Or how. And I never wanted to feed from you if you didn't know exactly what you were agreeing to.”

“So why did you?” Iwaizumi asked. Oikawa flinched like he was accusing him of something, but really he was just curious.

“I was so hungry I couldn't wait any longer. I usually try to wait as long as I can between when I feed without going so long that I lose control, but I waited a bit too long. I hate how I act when I feed. It's not _me_.”

“You threatened to kill me.”

Oikawa’s eyes widened in shock. “I'm so so so sorry. I would never try to kill you.”

“You said that, too. Said you love me too much,” Iwaizumi smiled, but the smile fell quickly. “You also said you'd killed before. Is that true?”

Oikawa averted his gaze and nodded. “I… yes. It’s not something I’m proud of or like to think about much, but yes. It’s true.” Iwaizumi nodded and took a deep breath. It was all a lot to process. “You’re afraid of me now, aren’t you?” Oikawa murmured.

Iwaizumi shook his head. “It’s a lot to take in, but I trust you. You wouldn’t have done it if you didn’t have to, right?” Oikawa nodded. “That’s what I thought. You’re still the same idiot I fell in love with,” Iwaizumi said, reaching up to tuck some of Oikawa’s hair behind his ear and kiss him softly. He pulled away and pressed their foreheads together, looking Oikawa in the eyes. “The same idiot I’m _still_ in love with. And just because you’re a vampire, just because you drank enough of my blood that I should probably be worried, just because you were maybe forced to kill some people, that won’t change.”

Oikawa’s eyes were filling with tears. He threw himself forward, knocking them both to the floor as he hugged Iwaizumi. “I love you.”

* * *

“You really need to get rid of that human of yours,” Kuroo said conversationally.

Oikawa immediately bristled in anger. “Firstly, he’s his own person. He’s not mine. Secondly, I will not ‘get rid’ of him. I’m offended you even think that I would.”

Kuroo raised his hands in defence. “Don’t blame me, I’ve just heard some things. And trust me, you’ll wish you were taking my advice when you hear them. You’ll wish you hadn’t ever gotten involved with your human.”

“I don’t suppose you would be willing to tell me what those things _are_ , would you?” Oikawa asked, letting the slightest bit of red into his eyes.

“No can do. You may have higher status than me, but these things come from further up. I couldn’t say even if I wanted to.”

“Dammit, Kuroo, you-” Oikawa cut himself off with a frustrated groan. “So it’s from the King. It’s not like he’s ever approved of anything I’ve done ever in my life. Except when I was under his control. What can he really do to me at this point anymore?”

Kuroo merely raised his eyebrows and looked away, picking up his goblet and taking a sip, staining his lips red. “All I’ll say is that the human needs to go. Soon.”

“I’ve been with him for years, why the change now?”

Kuroo gave him a significant look. “One might… question your loyalties to the King.”

* * *

“Iwa-chan, remember when I told you that, uh, I had killed before?” Oikawa started hesitantly.

Iwaizumi rolled over in their bed to face him. “Yeah, it was a while ago. Why? What’s this about?”

“So, um, when I was turned. Into a vampire, that is. I wasn’t born a vampire. But anyway, uh, when I was turned, it was by the King of vampires. I was kind of his… pet. I did whatever he told me to. Including the killing…”  
_  
“You can do this one little thing for me, can’t you, Tooru?”_

_He didn’t want to kill anyone. He wasn’t sure he could, but he also couldn’t say no. The King noticed his hesitation._

_“You don’t think you can do it?” Oikawa shook his head. “Could you do it with help, perhaps?”_

_Oikawa hesitated to say no. Hesitated to say the wrong answer. His mind was still partially muddled from his last meeting with the King. He wanted to speak, actually say no, but he couldn’t figure out how to work his mouth to do it. The King noticed his hesitation again._

_“Come closer,” he commanded and Oikawa’s feet were moving by themselves. He knew what was coming, but he also knew he couldn’t stop it from happening. The King extended one of his nails into a claw and cut the heel of his hand. Oikawa’s eyes were drawn to the blood that sprang up from the wound and his lips parted unconsciously. He hadn’t been allowed to feed in weeks. The King put his hand against Oikawa’s mouth. “Drink.”_

_He did. He had no other choice. As he drank, he felt his mind slipping away. His will was leaving him. He hadn’t even had much and yet the effect was strong._

_Oikawa whined when the King pulled his hand away._

_“Now, you can do it, right?”_

_Oikawa nodded._  
  
“It’s something only the King can do. I don’t really remember a lot from when I was under his control,” Oikawa said quietly.

“Why-”

“I’m telling you now because recently it has been brought to my attention that… this… could happen again. The King has… taken note of our relationship. And from what I hear, he doesn’t approve. Which means he might try to… take control again.” Oikawa looked down, reaching out to trace patterns on Iwaizumi’s bare chest. “And I don’t know if I can fight it. So if you want to, for your own safety, we can… put some distance between us.”

“For my own safety? Oikawa, what about _you_?” Iwaizumi asked. “You’re the one that’s in danger.”

“That’s not-”

“If I could, I would pull you close and never let you go. I would protect you from everything, including that King, whoever he is. But if you want to, if it would protect you and keep you safe, we can distance ourselves from each other.”

“Hajime, you know that’s the last thing I want,” Oikawa started.

“Then we won’t. We can find some other way. Maybe find a way for you to resist his control.”

Oikawa smiled sadly and pressed his forehead to Iwaizumi’s chest. “You’re so optimistic, love. I fought my way out once, the King won’t make the mistake of allowing me that chance twice. For now, he’s allowed me my freedom, but if he ever decides to… do that… again, I have no doubt that I wouldn’t be able to fight my way through it again.”

“We can still find a way, Tooru,” Iwaizumi assured him, rubbing his hand up and down Oikawa’s arm.

“There’s one other thing,” Oikawa said. “I want you to start carrying a silver weapon. Just in case.”

“I won’t use it on you.”

“I know, but that doesn’t mean the King won’t try to send vampires after you to kill you. I want you to be able to protect yourself.”

“If it would make you feel better, I will.”

* * *

“The rumors are getting worse, you know.”

“Kuroo, I will stop coming over to your house if this is all you talk about,” Oikawa threatened, though they both knew it was an empty threat.

“I’m just trying to look out for you. Don’t kill the messenger.”

“He’s right, Tooru,” Kenma added. “For once.”

“Not you, too! Kenma, I trusted you to have my back on this.”

Kenma looked up from his book. “You can’t go back to being what you were before. He needs to go. One way or another.”

“So long as I am in my right mind, I _will not_ give in to the wishes of the King.”

“And what about when you’re not?” Kuroo challenged. “He _will_ take action soon.”

* * *

Oikawa took a deep breath before pushing open the somewhat familiar doors. He had known this day was coming, but that didn’t make it any easier. He was glad, for once, that his heart didn’t beat, otherwise it would be a dead giveaway to his nerves.

“Ah, Tooru, so you did decide to show up. There were many that thought you wouldn’t, but I knew better.”

“Of course I showed up, Your Highness. You made it clear what would happen if I refused.”

The King laughed at that and Oikawa gritted his teeth at the sound. “Will you not kneel for your King?”

Oikawa raised his gaze to the King’s chin. There had always been some sort of magic at play that made it impossible to look at the King’s face. “I will not.”

“Not even if I give you a little… snack?” the King teased, leaning forward and resting his chin in his hand.

“Thank you for the offer, but I will have to… _respectfully_ decline,” he spat. “I’ve already eaten.”

“Then, I suppose, we should get to business. If you’re so keen on rejecting pleasure.” Oikawa huffed a laugh at that. “It has been brought to my attention that you’ve been entertaining yourself with a human. Do you deny this?”

“I do not,” Oikawa responded. He disagreed with the wording, but the essence was correct.

“And did I not _specifically_ forbid you to have human pets?”

“I have none, therefore I have not disobeyed you.”

“But you do not deny that you have a human.”

“I do not own this human. Should they wish to leave, they may,” Oikawa replied, careful to not give any information about Iwaizumi specifically. He was lucky that any vampires that would have told the King wouldn’t have actually gotten a good look at Iwaizumi first. “They are not a pet.”

“Tooru,” the King said, voice silky and smooth and not to be trusted, “don’t you remember how much I _hate_ when we disagree?”

“I-”

“Does your human do as you say? Let you do what you want to it?”

“Well-”

The King smiled. “Your eyes give you away, you know. You so desperately want it not to be true, and yet-”

“He’s _not_ my pet,” Oikawa growled. “I have never forced him to do anything. Anything he has done, he has chosen to do and he is free to continue choosing.”

“But, from what I hear, he sounds like your pet, even if you didn’t see it before now. So you _have_ disobeyed me. And not for the first time.” The King stood up and started slowly walking toward Oikawa. “But perhaps I should make sure it is the last time.”

“No,” Oikawa whispered breathlessly. He turned to run, but it was already too late. The King was much faster than him, grabbing onto him and pinning his arms to his sides quickly.

“Leaving so soon?”

“Let me go!” Oikawa yelled, thrashing around, trying to break free. The King responded by digging his claws into Oikawa’s arms, deep enough to draw blood.

“Are you done yet?” the King asked when Oikawa paused in his struggling.

“Why? Why do you hate _me_ so much?”

“You fight _so well_. Haven’t you always wondered why you’re affected more than anyone else?” The King laughed. “It’s because of how much you fight. It takes so much more to push you into submission, to break you, that when it finally happens, it’s so much more complete than anyone else. I haven’t had this much fun with someone in _ages_.”

“What-” Oikawa stilled completely. He had never thought… 

“And do you want to know just what I’m going to do this time to make you _break_ so much faster? I’m going to kill that little human pet of yours. Right. In. Front. Of. You.”

“No,” Oikawa started struggling again, “leave him out of this. He has nothing to do with it. Please don-”

“Oh, what was that, Tooru? Did you just say _please_?” the King teased. “Say it again.”

“Don’t kill him,” Oikawa had to pause to swallow his pride once more, “... please.”

“You’re already so obedient and I haven’t even given you any blood yet,” the King purred into his ear. “I can’t wait, but I want you completely coherent when I kill your human in front of you.” There was a knock on the door and, though Oikawa couldn’t see it, he knew the King was smiling. “Right on time. Enter.”

Kuroo walked in, dragging Iwaizumi behind him. They were both covered in blood, but it was hard to tell who it was actually from. Kuroo dropped to one knee before the King told him to stand.

“He is alive as you wished, Your Highness. The task proved more difficult than anticipated because he was equipped with a silver dagger.”

“You’ve done good work, Tetsurou. Detain Tooru while I take care of the rest.”

Kuroo nodded and took the King’s place holding Oikawa down. He was struggling even harder now that Iwaizumi had been brought in.

“Traitor,” Oikawa hissed at Kuroo, “I trusted-”

“I did warn you,” Kuroo interrupted him. “Multiple times.”

Iwaizumi groaned, coughing weakly as he turned over onto his side, facing Oikawa. There was already a gash in his arm bleeding a significant amount and there was a trickle of blood down the side of his face from where Kuroo must have hit him on the head to knock him out. His eyes fluttered open and focused on Oikawa, first his face, then the blood on his arms.

“Tooru? What-” he tried to get up, but the King kicked him down again.

“Iwa-chan!” Oikawa yelled, trying to rush to his side, but Kuroo’s grip stayed firm. “Let me go!”

The King grabbed Iwaizumi’s shoulders, forcing him down onto his back. He trailed his claws from Iwaizumi’s shoulder down to his stomach. “Where to start,” he hummed.

“Please, please, don’t!” Oikawa cried. “Don’t kill him, please!”

“I think,” he said, as though he were deciding which shirt to wear, “I’ll start here.”

He plunged his claws into Iwaizumi’s shoulder. Both Iwaizumi and Oikawa screamed. Oikawa continued to beg and plead, growing more and more hysterical while Iwaizumi eventually went silent from shock. The next place was just below Iwaizumi’s navel. The King slowly dragged his hand up from there towards Iwaizumi’s shoulder. Iwaizumi was losing enough blood by now that anyone would be able to tell that he wasn’t going to survive through it. Tears were streaming down Oikawa’s face.

“I think that’s enough,” the King said, getting up off of Iwaizumi. “Kuroo, you may let him go now.”

The first thing Oikawa did was rush to Iwaizumi’s side. He was still breathing, barely, and as much as Oikawa wanted to attack the King for this, he knew he needed to be with Iwaizumi.

“I’m so sorry,” Oikawa whispered. He pulled Iwaizumi into his lap and held his hand. “This was all my fault.”

“Y-you… dumbass,” Iwaizumi said weakly, managing a hint of a smile. “You… warned… me.”

“I shouldn’t have-”

“Do you… regret it?” Iwaizumi asked, letting his eyes drift shut.

“Of course I don’t.”

“I… have a… necklace… for you,” Iwaizumi coughed. “Said you… couldn’t wear… jewelry… silver… so it’s… not.”

Oikawa smiled, “I love you.”

“I… love you… too… Tooru.” His hand went limp in Oikawa’s.

“Hajime? Hajime, no! No!” He yelled, pulling Iwaizumi’s body close. He couldn’t hear a heartbeat anymore. “Let this not be the end for you, Hajime,” he whispered, weaving just a bit of magic into his words, hoping that maybe he could do something.

The King’s arm came into view, forearm dripping with blood, and pressed onto his mouth. He had intended to bite down, try to actually hurt the King, but he just fell still. The King tipped his head back when his mouth was filled with blood and he didn’t fight it. It took more than he remembered to force him under the King’s control, but eventually he felt himself slipping away. And he didn’t really fight it this time.

* * *

Iwaizumi was unsure what was happening. He was _certain_ he remembered dying. Certain. But he wasn’t sure that was the case. Everything was black, but he could swear that he wasn’t dead. His range of motion was very limited. There were walls all around him and he was lying on his back.

It took an embarrassingly long time for him to realize what was going on. He immediately started banging on the coffin’s lid, trying to break it. There was only one thought on his mind.

Kill the King. Save Tooru.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took like forever to finish, but finally here's a sequel to the first chapter (in the form of just a second chapter bc i'm lazy)

“Tooru, come.”

Oikawa’s feet moved on their own. He hated when the King would do things like this. He knew what was coming, but that couldn’t stop his reactions. The King pulled him onto his lap.

“Do you want to drink? To feed from me?”

He whined and nodded, mouth hovering over the King’s neck. He could nearly _taste_ the blood from just this. It had been nearly a month since he’d fed properly. All he ever got was enough to take the edge of hunger away and keep him complacent.

“If you want it, ask for it.”

Oikawa could hear the smile in the King’s voice. One of the very first rules put into place was that Oikawa was not allowed to talk. Not unless the King said ‘speak’. It was downright cruel to tell him to ask, but not allow him to speak. He whined again and nuzzled the King’s neck.

“Was I wrong?” the King asked mockingly. “Do you not want to feed?” There was a sharp, stabbing pain in his stomach and he curled into himself slightly. “I might let you feed,” the King mused and Oikawa perked up, “if only you’d get rid of that necklace.”

He was desperate, but… he shook his head, just once. He had been allowed to keep the necklace Iwaizumi had gotten him at first, leather with an emerald at the center, but the King had grown to resent it. It reminded Oikawa of what had happened, Iwaizumi dying in his arms and holding the necklace tightly in his hand. It prevented him from slipping all the way. The only order Oikawa could truly resist was taking off the necklace. Even if it meant starving, he wouldn’t take it off. He’d survive. The King wouldn’t kill him.

“Then I suppose the time has passed for you to be allowed to feed. Speak, pet.”

He would curse, if he were able. He’d talk back, too. Instead, he bowed his head. “Please, master, please let me feed. I am _starving_.”

“But I offered,” he said, feigning confusion, “Why didn’t you ask then?”

He wants to growl out that he wouldn’t let him, but he can’t. “Your offer was too kind,” he replied, not trying to make it sound anything but scripted. “I could not possibly take advantage of you like that.”

“What would you suggest I offer then, if that was too kind?”

“My freedom,” he managed to hiss out before it felt like his entire body was set on fire. “Less,” he gasped out, “Offer less.” The pain subsided as he responded with the right answer.

“Take off your necklace. And say no more.”

Oikawa shook his head, but his hands twitched. He prayed that the King hadn’t noticed, but he knew that he had.

“I’ve changed my mind. Drink.”

He couldn’t help it. He moved as quickly as he could, biting down and relishing in the taste filling his mouth, drinking in quick, hurried swallows. He had no idea when the King would cut him off, so he needed to get as much as he could.

“Stop,” he commanded and Oikawa instantly pulled away. He had been given more than usual. Enough that he could feel even his mind slipping. Starvation was terrible, but at least he retained a clear mind. “Now, let’s try again. Take off the necklace.”

His hands moved to the clasp.

* * *

“I need a favor,” he said, appearing behind the gravedigger. “I can pay well, if you keep silent.”

“What’s the favor, ‘fore I agree to anything?”

“Just need you to dig up a grave. Not a new one. One that’s… occupied.”

“Who’m I keepin’ silent from?”

He chuckled. Smart man. “The King. But I can pay you _very well_. And if you keep silent, I will. So we’ve nothing to worry about.”

“How much?”

“Name your price,” he responded smoothly. “I’ll pay you when it’s done.”

“I want proof ‘fore I agree.”

 _Smart man_. He pulled a bag of coins out of his cloak and tossed it to the gravedigger. “Pure gold. If that’s not enough, I’ve got more.” The gravedigger opened the bag and peered in before tossing it back to him. “Do we have a deal?”

“I want you there the whole time for protection. I’m not about to get all this and then get my blood drained.”

“I will protect you from any vampire wanting to hurt you. You have my word. Deal?” He stuck out his hand and the gravedigger shook it.

“Deal.”

Not so smart man.

“Wonderful,” he grinned. “I want you to dig up Iwaizumi Hajime’s grave.”

A few hours later, he sat at the edge of the hole, bored out of his mind. He knew it was a good thing that nothing was happening, but that didn’t mean he had to like it.

“Are you nearly done down there?”

“If you’re so impatient, why didn’t you do it yourself? I know you can do things faster than me. It would have taken you a few minutes.”

“Traditions and things,” he lied, waving his hand. It was an order from the King. Don’t dig him back up. “We’re supposed to let them find their own way out or die of thirst, but this one matters to me. Technically this way I’m not interfering. So how much longer?”

“Not too long. Ten minutes at most.”

He smiled. “Good.”

The gravedigger looked uneasy when he got down far enough to feel the coffin rattling. “You sure-”

“I gave you my word, didn’t I? I will protect you from any vampire that wishes to hurt you. He just wants to get out. I’d stand so that the lid won’t hit you when it opens though, just in case.”

It was only a few more minutes before the lid flew open and Iwaizumi sat up. He took it upon himself, like any self-preserving vampire would, to back up as far as he could from the grave.

“Hey! You! Come back here!” the gravedigger yelled, but he pretended not to have heard. “You said you’d protect me!”

“Correction, my good sir,” he replied with a grin, “I said I’d protect you from any _vampire_. What’s down there with you isn’t a vampire. If you wanted full and total protection, you should have specified. What’s down there is hungry, he’s not thirsty.”

“Get me out-” he cut himself off with a scream.

“I’m afraid it’s far too late for that.” 

He did his best to ignore the grotesque sounds coming from the bottom of the grave. Luckily it was only a few minutes before a hand was grasping at the edge of the hole. Not the gravedigger. He cautiously approached, very aware that one wrong move could mean the end for him as well, now that Iwaizumi was properly fed.

Iwaizumi looked up at him and in an instant was pinning him down. “You,” he growled, “You’re the one-”

“That helped you out of your grave? That provided you with someone to sate your hunger? That’s planning on stitching you back up? That wants to help you save that boyfriend of yours?” he finished for him. “Yep, that’s me.”

“You’re the one that attacked me and brought me to the King in the first place.”

Kuroo swallowed nervously. “I’m glad your memory works so well. That means you’re already better off than I thought you were.”

“Give me one good reason I shouldn’t kill you right now.”

“You want to get Oikawa back, don’t you? You want to save him?” Iwaizumi nodded. “I can help with that.” He paused, tilting his head. “Also, you shouldn’t try to kill me right now because you don’t have anything with you that could kill me and the longer we stay here like this, the easier it will be for the King to find out.”

“Fine,” Iwaizumi bit out. “But I don’t trust you.”

“You shouldn’t.”

* * *

“Sit still, Hajime,” Kenma said irritably. Iwaizumi understood his frustration, but he could at least try to be a little nicer about it.

“I’m trying,” he growled. “You’re not exactly gentle with this.”

“Sorry,” he replied, pulling the needle through roughly, “I wasn’t aware that stitching you up was supposed to feel pleasant.”

“It’s-”

“You chose to be awake through this, remember? I told you I could knock you out for it, but you said no. So sit _still_.”

Iwaizumi reluctantly lowered his hands to the edge of the table. He did his best to stop moving around so much, but it was difficult. Especially when Kenma was making no effort to be gentler in the least.

“Done,” Kenma declared at last, cutting the final thread after tieing it off. “Don’t touch it for a while. Actually, don’t touch it at all ever. I don’t want to have to do this again.”

“So will this not heal? At all? I’m just stuck with these stitches for the rest of my life?” Iwaizumi asked.

“The rest of your death,” Kenma corrected. “Make no mistake, you may be up and walking, but you’re dead. And since you’re dead, you can’t heal.”

“R-right. I’m dead. I kinda forgot about that.”

“Well, you’re not completely dead. Just most of the way there. Like your heart isn’t beating and you don’t technically need to breathe. You’re more dead than a vampire, but less dead than a corpse.”

Iwaizumi nodded. “I think I understand.”

“Good. While you’re here, there’s some things you should know. First,” Kenma held up a finger, “you’re not allowed to attack me or Kuroo. If you do, it’s easy enough for me to send you back to a grave. And this one you won’t be getting back out of. Understand?” He waited for Iwaizumi to nod before continuing. “Second, don’t leave this house. The King has eyes and ears everywhere and we’re lucky if he doesn’t already know you’re here. If you leave, it’s almost certain he’ll learn about you and Kuroo will suffer. He’s putting himself in direct danger for Oikawa with this and I don’t want you to fuck it up. Third, everything undead needs some form of… sustenance. We can provide that for you, but don’t let yourself get to the point where you’re starving before asking.”

Iwaizumi held up a hand. “Wait, what kind of sustenance do I need? If I’m not a vampire.”

“Yours is,” Kenma shuddered, “flesh.”

“I can’t-”

“You already have, remember?” Kuroo interrupted him, walking into the room. “As soon as you got out of that coffin.”

“That wasn’t me,” Iwaizumi protested. “I would never act like that.”

“When you were human you wouldn’t. Now that you’re not, well…” Kuroo trailed off. Iwaizumi vaguely remembered Oikawa saying something about how he wasn’t himself when he fed. Sure he wasn’t a vampire, but the same thing could probably be applied here as well.

“So, what, I have to kill people now? Is that what you’re saying?” Iwaizumi asked angrily, sliding off the table to face Kuroo. “You might be okay with that, but I’m not. The only one I want to kill is the King.”

“I am _not_ a murderer,” Kuroo growled, looming over Iwaizumi. “If Oikawa had been ordered by the King to kill you, would you hold it over him and blame him? Or would you focus on the King?”

“I-”

“Don’t think that I have more of a choice than Oikawa when the King gives an order. I just react less to it, so I can find loopholes like making someone else dig up your grave rather than digging it up myself. When it’s a direct order, though, I _have_ to do it. So when the King said ‘Find Tooru’s human and bring him to me alive,’ I had no choice but to find you and bring you to him. I didn’t _know_ for sure that he was planning on killing you. I knew it wouldn’t be good, but I didn’t know you would die.” Kuroo stepped closer, crowding Iwaizumi back against the table. “So don’t blame me for the King’s actions.”

“I won’t murder people.”

“We can always bring you fresh corpses. You won’t have to kill anyone,” Kenma put in. “But you need to calm down.”

“Fine,” Iwaizumi replied, not letting any part of himself relax.

“And go take a bath or something, you stink like death.”

* * *

“So I’ve been dead…”

“For about three months,” Kuroo finished for him. “How many times are we going to have to go over this?”

“It’s hard for me to take in, okay?” Iwaizumi said defensively. “It’s not like I’ve had time to process it. I’ve only been out of my grave for like a week.”

“And you’ve confirmed your own death at least twice every day. You’re not really dead anymore, well, you are, but you’re up and moving again. Get over it. The way I see it, either you keep freaking out about being dead now or you get over it and we can actually start some sort of plan to get Oikawa back and overthrow the King.” Iwaizumi opened his mouth to respond, but Kuroo cut him off before he could start. “Make no mistake, I don’t like you. But I also know that we won’t be able to do anything without you. You and Kenma are the only two that currently know about this uprising that wouldn’t be affected by the King’s influence. And _you’re_ our secret weapon. Even the rest of the uprising doesn’t know you exist. I’m not saying this for you, I’m saying it because the longer you take moping about your heart not beating any more, the longer it will be before we can put anything in action.”

“I…” Iwaizumi sighed.

“You hate it when I’m right, don’t you,” Kuroo taunted.

“So one other question,” Iwaizumi said. Kuroo raised an eyebrow. “Why can’t I read anymore? Or, I can, but it’s really hard.”

“Side effect of dying. Some of your brain cells die and you can’t really recover them easily. In your case. It would be different if Oikawa had turned you, but he did what he could. The part where you went three months without food also probably contributed to it, but from what I can tell, you’re doing better than you technically should be. My best guess is that normal functions will return at some point, now that you’ll have a consistent food source.” Kuroo sighed. “This would be so much _easier_ if you were a vampire. Then I’d know exactly what to tell you.”

“Why am I not a vampire?”

“Emotional magic only goes so far. Turning someone supposedly takes a _lot_ of preparation and magic on the vampire’s part. Whatever Oikawa did to you was last minute. You were already dead. The process has to start before you die for you to become a vampire.”

Iwaizumi nodded in understanding and the two fell into an awkward silence. He bit his lip, wanting to say something, but unsure how to start. “I, uh… I’m sorry,” he forced out, “for how I’ve… been. I made assumptions about you and I shouldn’t have. I still don’t like you, but I don’t blame you.”

“Does this mean I can stop worrying about you trying to kill me every five seconds?”

“I-”

“It’s written _all over_ your face. Every time we talk you look like you want to kill me.”

“I was never planning to!”

Kuroo shrugged. “Whatever, shorty.” He ruffled Iwaizumi’s hair.

“Wha- _shorty_!? I am _not_ that short!”

* * *

“Iwa, you need to hide,” Kuroo said, pushing him into one of the bedrooms. “Under the bed, maybe. Not in the closet. Whatever you do, don’t make a _single sound_.”

“What? What’s going on?”

“Just trust me right now, okay? I’ll explain later. No matter what, until I come to get you, you stay hidden _wherever_. Just do it now,” Kuroo gave him one last shove into the room before slamming the door shut.

Iwaizumi still didn’t really trust Kuroo, but something about his tone made it seem like Iwaizumi should listen now. He wiggled his way under the bed, positioning himself so he could see the door. People were talking just outside of it, but he couldn’t tell who.

“You must forgive the state my home is in, Your Highness. I did not expect-” Kuroo said as he opened the door.

“Shut up, Kuroo,” someone else said and Kuroo’s mouth audibly clacked shut. “The point of a surprise visit is that you don’t expect it. Isn’t that right, pet?” Iwaizumi heard Kuroo exhale in anger, but he remained silent. “It smells different in here. Can you explain?”

“Well,” Kuroo started, but the other person cut him off.

“Not you. Tooru. Speak.”

“It smells like Tetsu-chan hasn’t bothered to cleaned up his room in a while.” _Oikawa._ Iwaizumi wanted to call out. Wanted to grab ahold of Oikawa right here and now and never let go again. But if this was Oikawa, then that meant the other person with him was the King and he knew he would have no chance against him now. “No other reason comes to mind.” He sounded so different. His voice was practically emotionless. Like if someone were to try to play a song without musical phrasing. All of the words were there, but all of the _Oikawa_ was not.

“You can think of nothing else? The truth, Tooru,” the King prodded.

“Nothing.” The King made an expectant noise. “Master,” Oikawa forced out. Iwaizumi had to bite his hand in order to keep quiet.

“Then I suppose we shall take our leave. I’m very sorry this visit was so abrupt and short, Kuroo, but I felt it necessary.” Iwaizumi watched the King make his way to the door and pause.

“Thank you for visiting, Your Highness,” Kuroo murmured. “It has been my pleasure.”

“M-master?” Oikawa called out and Iwaizumi would have preferred the emotionless tone to the nervousness in Oikawa’s voice now. “May I… have some time to speak with Kuroo before we take our leave?”

“You want to what?” the King asked dangerously quietly. “Whatever for?”

“I just… you have never let me speak with anyone but you. I was merely asking for permission this once.”

“Are you finally going to take off that necklace?” He barely waited for Oikawa’s reply. “That’s what I thought. Now stop talking. I like you much better when you’re quiet. Come on, let’s go.” Oikawa followed him out the door and Kuroo led them out.

“You can come out now, Iwaizumi,” Kuroo said. Iwaizumi crawled out from under the bed. “That was much closer than I expected it to be. We’re fucking lucky that Oikawa seems to still have some sort of resistance left.”

“ _That’s_ some resistance? He… he called him-” Iwaizumi cut himself off in the middle of yelling.

“I know, but he won’t take that necklace you got him off. I think it helps.” Kuroo paused. “Well, I think he’s also being starved, but-”

“Starved?” Iwaizumi exclaimed. “How does this guy get away with all this?”

“He’s the one that turned most of us, Oikawa and I included, and part of turning is humans drinking the blood of the vampire that’s turning them. So he’s already got that over us, but also the more people someone turns, the more powerful they become. And, for example, if the King turned me and I turned Kenma, he would have control over both me and Kenma. Not to mention he can just keep ordering me to drink his blood and I can’t do anything about it, so I don’t even get the chance to stop being under his control. And he can order me not to drink from anyone else, so without him I’ll starve,” Kuroo explained. “The ones that are under his control far outnumber the ones that aren’t.”

“And if we kill him?”

“Everyone who was previously under his control isn’t any longer. The crown would go to whoever has the next largest influence.”

“Who’s that?”

“Oikawa.”

* * *

Oikawa had lost track of how long it had been. He had been forced to sit in his corner in the King’s quarters a while ago. Since the surprise visit to Kuroo’s house, his starvation had stopped. Instead, the King was practically letting Oikawa drain him each day in order to try and force him completely under. He knew it was close to working. It probably should have worked already.

But he had smelled Iwaizumi.

He was sure of it. It had been a long, _long_ time, but he would never forget his scent. Even if it was covered in death. He wished he had been allowed to stay and talk to Kuroo, demand he explain, but he hadn’t been and even if the King _had_ given him permission, he would have demanded a full recap.

The door slammed open and he barely flinched when the King stormed in. He was about to stand, but one look from the King stopped him. “Did you have anything to do with this?” he growled. He picked Oikawa up by the collar of his shirt.

Oikawa shook his head frantically, leaving his hands on the ground to appear even less threatening. It was a stark contrast to how he’d acted at first. He wasn’t even going to put up a fight.

“Somehow I doubt that,” he spat, throwing Oikawa to the floor. He held his wrist out to Oikawa. “Drink.”

He immediately latched onto the offered wrist, enjoying the feeling of sinking his fangs into flesh.

“Now take that _fucking_ necklace off.” Oikawa’s hands moved up to the clasp of the necklace, just like always. “All the way off. Undo the clasp and put it in my hand. And _don’t_ stop drinking.” Oikawa tried to fight it, he really did, but with as strong as the King’s influence over him was now, there was no way he could resist. “There you go,” he said softly, easing his arm away from Oikawa, “now you’re perfectly mine, right?” Oikawa nodded, eyes slipping half shut, mind nearly completely gone. “Speak, Tooru.”

“I am yours,” he murmured. “I belong to you.”

“And what was your part in what is happening just outside this room?”

“I know not what you speak of, Master.”

“The _uprising_ ,” he hissed. “What was your part in it?”

“I played no part. You know I am loyal to you.”

“When you were not loyal, when you were with that human, what part did you play?”

“I removed myself from all politics in my time away from you. I had no desire to play a part in anything, including uprisings. I merely wanted to live my life in peace. The only vampire I even talked to in that time was Kuroo.”

The King nodded. “And when we visited his house last month, were you telling the truth about the smell?”

“Partially. I was saying enough to follow your order. I smelled Iwaizumi. But you killed him, so there is no way it could have been him.”

“Would you say Iwaizumi cared for you?”

“I would.”

The King nodded again. “You would do anything I say, right, Tooru?”

“Of course.”

“Follow me,” he ordered, pausing at the bedside table to pull out a silver knife and press it into Oikawa’s hand. “Hold this over your heart and feel free to speak your mind in front of our unexpected guests.”

He pushed the doors open and Oikawa walked out behind him. The short hallway was eerily quiet and Oikawa learned why when they stepped into the throne room. He wrinkled his nose at the scent of so many creatures’ blood filling the air. Including “ _Iwaizumi_ ,” he breathed out.

“Where is he?”

Oikawa pointed to where Iwaizumi was in battle with two vampires. He wasn’t really doing very well. They were faster than him, stronger too, and obviously used to a fight. Somehow he came out on top, though, killing them both easily after some sort of magical boost. Oikawa could pinpoint the exact moment Iwaizumi saw him. Iwaizumi started running for him, but the King stopped him before he got to Oikawa.

“One more step from you and Tooru’ll put that knife right through his heart, isn’t that right?” He nodded. Iwaizumi was about to say something, but the King interrupted him. “It’s Iwaizumi, right? I don’t believe we’ve been properly introduced.”

“I don’t think we really need to be. I’ve heard enough about you.” Iwaizumi held a meat cleaver in each hand and he looked defiantly up at the King. “Let Oikawa go and I won’t drag out your death.”

“I’ve changed my mind, pet. Should Iwaizumi move without my permission, you’ll kill yourself. Anytime he speaks out of turn or is rude, move the blade closer by a few centimeters.”

“Whatever you say,” he responded. When the King looked away, he moved the knife farther away from his chest.

“Now then, _you_. I should just kill you again, but who knows how permanent that would be. Which reminds me, how _did_ you come back to life?”

“Why should I tell you?” Iwaizumi growled. After a glance from the King, Oikawa moved the knife closer. “I don’t really know how. I just woke up.”

“And were you there that day I decided to visit Kuroo?”

“I was.”

“Where?”

“Under the bed.”

“You’re far less fun to play with than Tooru,” the King hummed. “I suppose it’s time to kill you, then.”

“Wait!” Oikawa called out.

“Don’t tell me you still care for this… this _thing_?” the King said incredulously. 

Oikawa looked Iwaizumi in the eyes. “I don’t.”

“Then why not let me kill him?”

“You said controlling me was fun because of how much I fight you, but eventually that really only goes so far.” Oikawa crept closer to the King, leaning onto his shoulder to whisper into his ear. “If you keep _him_ , he is fully capable of resisting, no matter what you give him. Think of how wonderful it would feel to break him down completely.”

“Oikawa-” Iwaizumi was silenced with a glare.

“He’d do anything for me, you know,” Oikawa continued, moving so he was behind the King. “You just saw him kill and I’m certain he didn’t do it just because he cares about this uprising. Don’t you want to know what _else_ he’d do?”

“You make a compelling argument,” the King hummed.

“You know, you forgot to do one thing, though.”

“What’s that?”

“You forgot to tell me not to kill you,” Oikawa hissed, slitting the King’s throat. He dropped the King’s body and spat on it. He ran the knife through the King’s heart, just to make sure there were no mistakes, then turned away from both the King and Iwaizumi. “Everyone, stop!” he yelled, not bothering to wipe the blood off of his face before addressing the people fighting. “I have killed the past King! Those of you previously under his control are now free!”

There was silence as everyone looked at him and then at the body at his feet. Kuroo was the first to come forward. He dropped to one knee with his head bowed and crossed his arm over his chest. “Long live the new King,” he called out.

A voice echoed him from behind Oikawa and he turned around to find Iwaizumi kneeling for him. One by one, every person in the room took a knee and called out the same thing. Over and over and over. Oikawa was very nearly overwhelmed. 

“You may all rise,” Oikawa said. “I will be nothing like the last. These formalities are not required. If you wish to follow me, I will not stop you. However, if you wish not to, I will not protest to that either. Commanding others to do things against their will is now forbidden. I will answer personally to any and all reports of such an action.”

They all rose and cheered for him, continuing to chant “Long live the king!” After that, he had to talk to what felt like five hundred different people, vampires and otherwise, before he had a chance to talk to the one person that mattered.

“Hajime, wait!” He was running after him, not at top speed, but enough to let Iwaizumi know that he wanted to catch up. “I need to talk to you!”

Iwaizumi turned around. “I think you’ve said enough. I support you as the new King, but…”

“Please, let me explain?” Oikawa pleaded.

“Fine,” Iwaizumi snapped. “Explain, then.”

Oikawa shook his head. “Not here.” He led Iwaizumi to one of the rooms farthest away from the throne room.

“Well?”

“I do care about you,” Oikawa admitted, voice thick with emotion. “I needed to say that in order to convince him. Everything else I said was just to distract him long enough so that he wouldn’t notice what I was about to do. I didn’t mean any of that. I just couldn’t let him kill you.”

“You looked me in the eyes,” Iwaizumi said, both body and voice trembling, “and said you didn’t care about me.”

Oikawa sat on the bed in the room, unsure of whether he would actually be able to stand through the whole conversation without collapsing. “I love you, Hajime. That hasn’t changed. It was the thought of you that kept me from fully submitting to him. And it was seeing your face that completely disrupted the King’s control. As soon as I saw you, I was free.”

“Then why not kill him as soon as you were free? Why go along with it long enough to say you don’t care at all?”

“He would have killed us both. I was never as strong or as fast as him.” Oikawa paused, biting his lip. “I’m sorry… I’m sorry it had to c-come to this,” he choked out, the past year coming to hit him at once. “I… I ne-never meant for it… for you to- to-” He couldn’t hold back his tears any more. He had had to be strong in front of all of his new subjects and he definitely wasn’t allowed to cry in front of the King. “This is all my f-fault,” he sobbed.

Iwaizumi was at his side in an instant, sitting down next to him on the bed and pulling him halfway onto his lap. He held Oikawa to himself as tight as he could, not willing to let go for one second. “No, this isn’t your fault,” he whispered into Oikawa’s ear. “You said you did what you had to to save us both and I trust you. Afterall, I’m not all the way dead yet and neither are you.” Oikawa managed a little smile at that. “I’ll be here for you, now and forever.”

Oikawa sniffled and wiped his tears away. “I love you, Hajime.”

“I love you too, Tooru.”

**Author's Note:**

> this is like super set up for a sequel but idk if i'm gonna write one lmao
> 
> also i have an essay due tomorrow that i pretty much haven't started but i wanted to finish this first whoops
> 
> find me on tumblr [here](https://nightshade002.tumblr.com/) [here](https://theprettysettersclub.tumblr.com/) or [here](https://thewritersquad.tumblr.com/) (with friends)


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